Pitch changing device for musical instruments



Nov. 8, 1949 w. E. SMITH PITCH CHANGING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 5, 1947 WM Q" ME I NM Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PITCH CHANGING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Walter E. Smith, Ventura, Calif.

Application December 5, 1947, Serial No. 789,857

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to musical instruments andis particularly directed to improvements in devices for changing the pitch of a string. Devices of this type are employed in instruments of the lute type, as for example, a guitar.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 740,? 60, filed April 11, 1947, I have shown a pitch changing device for a guitar, which device is adapted to be leg operated. The purpose of that device is to enable a musician to change the pitch of a string on the instrument from time to time during the rendition of a single musical composition in order that the various chords required may be readily available without slanting the steel which is employed by the musician in the customary fashion. While that device is admirably suited to the requirement of changing pitch repeatedly during the rendition of a single musical composition, it is not practical to use the conventional music for guitars when operating such device. This is true because standard guitar music used universally in teaching students to play the guitar requires that the strings of the guitar be tuned in a certain predetermined relationship, and that this relationship remain unchanged while the particular composition is being played. Symbols are marked for each measure in the musical score, and these symbols indicate the required position of the steel for producing the desired chords in the musical composition.

Conventional guitar music ordinarily includes a statement of the required tuning on the first sheet of each musical composition. Because of the limitations of steel guitar tuning, one musical composition may be played more effectively in one tuning pattern than in another. Two standard tunings have been accepted, and these are most popular for both students and professionals and are most widely used. These two tunings differ only by a full tone change on one string. Accordingly, when a musician is about to play a musical composition he first checks to see which of these two standard tunings is required, and if necessary adjusts the particular string to the proper position. The pitch of the string is not changed throughout the entire musical composition. When another composition is to be played the musician again checks, and if the standard tuning is the same no changes need be made, whereas the tension of the string may be returned to its original condition if the other tuning is to be employed. Conventional guitars and guitar-like instruments are conventionally provided with individual tuning knobs which may be gear operated, and the task of changing from one pitch to another requires careful adjustment of such knobs in order that the pitch shall be exactly that which is desired. It is distracting for both audience and musician when the latter must pause in a guitar concert to stop and retune to the desired tuning pattern for the next musical rendition.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a pitch changing device for a string or strings of a musical instrument which is preadjusted so that the pitch of the string may be changed from one tone to another in rapid fashion Without requiring any careful or critical attention by the musician.

Another object is to provide a string tensioning plunger provided with adjustable stop means and adapted to be actuated by a lever acting through a resilient element.

Another object is to provide a novel form of latch means for holding the actuating lever in position.

Another object is to provide a pitch changing device for the strings of a musical instrument which is mounted in a manner to avoid interference with the normal operation of playing the instrument, and which is simple and rugged in design, economical to manufacture on a quantity basis, and adapted for mounting on a musical instrument in a manner to avoid defacement or mutilation thereof.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a steel guitar having attached thereto a pitch changing device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the right-hand end of the guitar shown in Figure l and illustrating the attachment embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the lines 33 as shown in Figure 2 Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken along the string engaged by the pitch changing device.

Figure 5 is a View of the underside of that portion of the guitar shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the musical instrument generally designated in may be a standard guitar or a steel guitar, or any one of a number of conventional guitar-like instruments. A series of strings II is secured to the body l2 at one end l3 and extend between the usual bridge M and the nut l5. A shield 16 may extend over the strings II to provide a hand rest if desired. The other end of each of the strings is spooled about a pin I1 extending through the neck head I8 and provided with a gear wheel I9 on its lower end. Each of the gear wheels I9 is adapted to be engaged by a worm pinion (not shown) mounted on the shaft of the tuning knob 20. The pitch of each of the strings I I is tuned by rotating one of the tuning knobs 20. The only change required when changing from onestandard form of tuning to the other standard form is to change the pitch of the string Ila one whole tone. This is ordinarily accomplished by suitable manlpulfltilih of the knob Zila. Such manipulation, however, requires the very careful attention of the musician in order that the pitch may be exactly-that desired, for any error in setting .thisadlust nent will cause the instrument to sound slightly ofikey and will spoil the harmony of the chords.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a plunger ;2 l slidably mounted within, ahore 2;? prorided i th hut h ad i a a sl et enebeneat th etti g 1 l a d lee w e t t 45 and the pin Ala. The-top pf the plunger 2! is provided it ae eve .2 r ee nt en o t e st in I a- Movement of the plunger 2| in a direction toward ,the string ,l l-a serves :to increase the tension in the string and change its pitch.

A -;base member 2.4 is secured to the underside o enu he d t lei an c n n en me nesu h ee -th attach n scr s 5, a d is id d with para l l d w wardly xtendi s de m m rand .Zlconnected by abottom plate 2 8. A pair ofs ationary transverse -.pi ns n exte d across th t r e 2- b tween th d me be andz l a e .r latienehin h p un e 2| e tend downwardl th ou h the bo 2:2 n aimed openings 3,1 and ,32 provided in the basalt An actuating lever 33 hangingan aperture ;34 is pr vide o mov n th p u e 3; t tensi thes ri s Ala. .As h wnin'Fi u t -p1un e 2! extends through the aperture 34 and a ;res lien ee ie rins encircl th plun e all and e nd be ween th wa h r 1 o t eleve 33 and the shoulder 2l a provided Qn .theplunger '2 I. i

T e ctu in eve norma ly re t :en t e transverse pins gfiand 30 butmay be raised tothe position illustrated by :the dotted :lines .in Figure g ,to pause the plunger 2! ,to .move toward the string li e. The extent ,of -=such :movement is limited by the engagement of the adjustable stop member :33? with thesundersicle 3.8 .ofithe base .24. The adjustable stop member 3'! is provided with internal threads cooperating with the external threads it} ;pr, .vi ded on the lower end of the plun 3 A relatively heavy return spring -39 is .confined between a shoulder '40 on the element 31 ai1d1the=surface38 on -:the body 424. When the actuating lever-'33 is raised :it pivots about the ;t*- nsversepin-ZB,compressingthe springs 35-and e toi eiee the plu r I. The p e se an l o arcuate travel of the actuating lever 33 is un.- imp en sinc the mo on of he lever :33 is comrnunicated'to .theplunger :2l byway 0f the spring 35, and in any event the upward motion o :th. ap unser;2; ;is limited byen ae m n o the element 3i with-thebodyfirl. :Accordingly,.onoe the element 3;? is adjusted :to {the c orrectlposition on :the plunger 2i, movementpfthe actuating lever 3 sufficient :tO 'bring the element :31! :into .esntaet with the-body.; ..resu1ts in=chang the pitch r :the string .1 1c lexactlyeoneatone.

.ilaaitchmeans ;,a1?.e provided ;for maintaining the actuating :T1 Y 3I.ll3.3 1 in @its ".upper position, and as 4 shown in the drawings this latch means includes slot 4| having a lateral extension 41a formed in the end of the shield 44. The lever 33 is moved to its latched position by raising it within the slot 3! and then swinging it laterally about the plunger 2| into the extension Ma. The springs 35 and 39 hold it in frictional contact with the edge of the slot extension lla, and hence prevent its accidental displacement. It will be understood that the aperture 34 in the actuating lever 33 and the opening in the washer 36 are .sufiiciently large to accommodate the pivotal mpyement ,oi .the actuating lever 33 with respect ;to the plunger 2|. Furthermore, the aperture 34 acts as a pivot point around which the lever 33 is shifted when it is to be shifted into the notch 41a.

The shield 44 is provided to enclose the major portion of the mechanism of the device and to provide an ornamental appearance. An opening .45 is provid ec;l ;in the lower portion of the sh eld to e e ve th shrine .9, uQ 22 and di entlst p The sh e d 44 may hea inne ted i a o i n m nn r u a 0 p e bvth eesew l men W i h tac e it t th ei 11 3. 1 o the b In e ope tio h my d ic th gu ta i tuned {to one of the standard tuning patterns w th l e .3 i it in ne et re Re i e as shown i F u 4- The le e :33 i hen m ed to th ott li e pos tion il u ate n F ure 4 and latche in vp a The ecliu tab e st mem 3 7i is t en turn re a ive to th plunge 2i until the pitch of thestring -l I a corresponds exac l to e de ir d nite io the s cond rm of standa unin attemhe a r th musician n ed on m v th eetueiine eve .33 to its l tch d osit o or re e s i to P rm it to t k th p siti n sh wn in leisu elepen neon t t nin a tern in icate b th musi ltisthus un ce sary t mak -anytimeml or cr ti -a tu in ad ustm nts wh n hansing from one standard tuning to -theothe r. The device is ,out of the way so that :it .does not interfere with normal playing of the instmment and does not mar the instrument ,-or deface it in ;any ,Way. It is recogniaedthat the above d rib de i may .be ad p ed for changin other t n ng pattern by opera in .on anot er s rin .or c mbinat on .of t in s.

Having fully described my invention, ,,it to he understood that ;I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my-invention 315 ,of .the full scope of .theappended claims.

-I clai-m:

-11. Adevice fonchanging the pitch-,oi the string ofa musicalxinstrument, comprising in combination: a sbase member; ,a string-engaging plunger element .slidably mounted relative to the base member; an actuator :pivotally associated with the base member; .a resilient element interposed between the plunger and said actuator, whereby pivotal movement of the actuator serves tomove the plungerein .a direction to change :the tension in :the string; and stop means independent-of the actuator .adapted .to --.limit gthe travel of the plunger.

2. iAdevice.for-changingrthe pitchoi thestring of amusical instrument, comprising in combination: a :base member; a string-engaging plunger element rslidably -mounted relative to the :base member; an ..actuator pivotally associated with the base member; a/coil spring encircling a'portion .of lthe .plunger ..and adapted -to be engaged by said actuator, whereby pivotal movement of the actuator serves to cause the spring to move the plunger in a direction to change the tension in the string; and means including a stop element adjustably mounted on the plunger adapted to limit travel of the plunger.

3. A device for changing the pitch of the string of a musical instrument, comprising in combination: a base member; a string-engaging plunger element slidably mounted relative to the base member; a lever pivotally associated with the base member; a coil spring encircling a portion of the plunger and adapted to be engaged by said lever, whereby pivotal movement of the lever serves to move the plunger in a direction to change the tension in the string; and a stop element on the plunger adapted to engage the base member before the lever reaches the end of its path of travel.

4. A device for changing the pitch of the string of a musical instrument, comprising in combination: a base member; a string-engaging plunger element slidably mounted relative to the base member; a lever pivotally associated with the base member; a coil spring encircling a portion of the plunger and adapted to be engaged by said lever, whereby pivotal movement of the lever serves to move the plunger in a direction to change the tension in the string; a stop element on the plunger adapted to engage the base member before the lever reaches the end of its path of travel; and a return spring adapted to resiliently urge the plunger toward its inoperative position.

5. A device for changing the pitch of the string of a musical instrument, comprising in combination: a base member secured to the instrument; a plunger slidably mounted with respect to the base and adapted to engage the string; an actuator having an aperture therein adapted to receive the plunger therethrough, whereby the actuator may swing laterally with respect to the plunger; means on the base providing a pivotal mounting for the actuator; a spring operatively interposed between the actuator and the plunger, whereby pivotal movement of the actuator is effective to move the plunger with respect to the base; and a latch for the actuator engageable through swinging movement of the actuator about the plunger and adapted to maintain the actuator in operative position.

6. An attachment for a musical instrument having a string extending between a nut and an anchoring device, comprising in combination: a base member secured to the instrument; a plunger slidably mounted with respect to the base and being grooved to engage the string; an actuator having an aperture therein adapted to receive the plunger therethrough, whereby the actuator may swing laterally with respect to the plunger; means on the base providing a pivotal mounting for the actuator; a spring encircling the plunger and operatively interposed between the actuator and the plunger, whereby pivotal movement of the actuator is effective to move the plunger with respect to the base; and a latch for the actuator engageable through swinging movement of the actuator about the plunger and adapted to maintain the actuator in operative position.

'7. An attachment for a musical instrument having a string extending between a nut and an anchoring device, comprising in combination: a base member secured to the instrument; a plunger slidably mounted with respect to the base and adapted to engage the string; an actuator having an aperture therein adapted to receive the plunger therethrough, whereby the actuator may swing laterally with respect to the plunger; means on the base providing a pivotal mounting for the actuator; a spring operatively interposed between the actuator and the plunger, where-by pivotal movement of the actuator is effective to move the plunger with respect to the base; a stop element on the plunger adapted to engage the base member before the actuator reaches the end of its travel; and a latch for the actuator engageable through swinging movement of the actuator about the plunger and adapted to maintain the actuator in operative position.

WALTER E. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Schulz May 12, 1936 Number 

